New city manager speaks about the future of Cathedral City

CATHEDRAL CITY, Calif. (KESQ) – Andrew Firestine, the new city manager in Cathedral City, is sharing his thoughts on the future for the first time with News Channel 3 this evening.

The city council approved the hiring of Firestine in a five-year contract at its February 11th council meeting. It came after an extensive search following Charlie McClendon's retirement, who previously held the position.

Firestine is an experienced local government professional with a career focused on creating lasting community impact and delivering efficient, effective, and responsive service.

A California native, he spent the first 16 years of his career in Colorado, working for a regional council of government and the cities of Colorado Springs and Centennial in various planning and management roles.

Firestine relocated to the Coachella Valley in 2019 and served as Assistant City Manager for the City of Palm Desert, managing multiple service areas until 2022. He then served as Director of Development Services for the City of Escondido before joining the City of Cathedral City in September 2023.

Stay with us as he shares his thoughts with us for the first time since his start as city manager.